Tips for Election to APA Boards and Committees

If you have been chosen for a slate or position on an APA board or committee, congratulations. You may be one of three people selected by the board or committee for the position. The next step in the process is that caucuses within the APA Council of Representatives (COR) will endorse some candidates and COR members will vote to determine the final choice.

What are COR Caucuses?

COR caucuses are interest groups within the council (made up of COR members) who endorse candidates, so asking for caucuses’ endorsements is a great way to provide more information about yourself and encourage COR members to vote for you. It is recommended that you request an endorsement from any caucus which fits your professional interests and experience, areas of advocacy, etc. Specific criteria for endorsement and forms to complete will be sent to you when you are on a slate. The 12 caucuses are:

Association of Practicing Psychologists.

Caucus for the Optimal Utilization of Talent.

Caucus of State, Territorial and Provincial Representatives.

Child, Adolescent and Family Caucus.

Coalition for Academic, Scientific and Applied Research Psychology.

Education and Training Caucus.

Ethnic Minority Issues in Psychology Caucus.

Health Care/Health Science Caucus.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus.

Public Interest Caucus.

Rural Health Caucus.

Women’s Caucus.

Campaigning to the COR

COR members will vote on each slate, so some contact with council representatives may improve your chances of getting their vote. You can find the names of COR members in the resource Making APA Work for You (PDF, 2.8MB).

The following is a list of ways you might consider campaigning to the COR:

Contact your division and state association APA council representatives by email or in person if you are at a professional meeting with them.

Ask your council representatives and other leaders you know to introduce you to other COR members via email or in person. Then send them an email message including a reminder of the position for which you were nominated. Don’t forget to provide a brief description of your qualifications and experience.

Introduce yourself to council members, explaining your qualifications for the position and asking for their vote (via email or in person). At the APA convention, you can identify council representatives by their “COR” ribbon.